


Child of Iron

by 2space_lesbo1



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Gen, Not Beta Read, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Ugh, uh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-09 20:03:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20122948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2space_lesbo1/pseuds/2space_lesbo1
Summary: One day while settling into his new dorm room, Harley gets a package from Tony.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> aaahhhhh i love my boy Harley 😭😭 he deserves more lllloooovve
> 
> This is a little something i wrote after Far from home and rewatching iron man 3. i kinda wanna continue writing and add both morgan and peter into this fic as well, writing them all as adorable siblings, but idk yet. 
> 
> maybe if this fic gets enough love and comments i'll add more chapters ;) 
> 
> anyway pls read and sorry for any mistakes i never have a beta reader lol.

Harley has known Tony Stark for almost five years now, since he was young. He recalls the night they met as he stare down at a package in his hands, which was addressed to him, from none other than Tony himself. 

The billionaire had been at a low point in his life when he'd stumbled into Harley’s garage, dragging his suit of armor behind him. He'd been beaten down, and was extremely anxious and paranoid of everything around him. 

Harley could recall it all perfectly. 

After Tony had left to go finish his business with the Mandarin, Harley had believed that that was the last he'd seen of the genius. Another man to walk out of his life after his father. It was a reasonable assumption, too. Who was he to stony, after all? He was just some kid who'd threatened him with his homemade potato launcher in his garage. 

But, surprisingly, Tony would frequently call Harely. He even let him join the Stark Science Camp for Youngsters through to his childhood, telling him that letting his smart go to waste was a horrible thought to him. 

And if Harley took notice of how his living situation improved from a crummy house in the middle of nowhere to a comfort home, his mother getting a better job, he didn't say anything. He did see the first envelope addressed to his mother, from Tony Stark. He also saw the color of a bunch of dollar bills tucked inside, and he peaked at the letter underneath those. 

‘Hope this helps, Ms. Keener. You can use me as a recommendation on any job application, now. Keep in touch.’ 

His mother had ended up asking him about the night Tony Stark had crashed in their garage. Harley had told her excitedly how he'd help him, from getting the stuff he needed to getting him a sandwich. 

Life kept improving after that. 

Now, he lived in a dorm in New York for college. It was a sudden and large change from where he'd lived before, and very far away from his mother. But Mrs. Potts has recommended him and gotten him into the brand new Stark University. He was beginning his first year there in a few weeks, but had already moved in to try and wean himself from his mother and little sister. 

And that's when there was a knock on the door, and he'd signed for a small, thin package from the passed billionaire. He's been staring at it for about ten minutes now, and it might have been due to the nerves growing in his chest. 

What could be inside? What had Tony left behind for him? Honestly, he was a tad surprised Tony had left anything behind for him. Sure the man had ended up becoming a sort of father figure to him, showing up occasionally at the camp or for lunch in his elementary school, but it was still a bit of a shock for him. 

He draws a deep breath through his nose and readjusts his grip on the small package. “Don't be a pussy over it,” he muttered to himself, smirking at the memory of Tony saying that to him. Just the thing Harley had needed to hear at the time. 

He pulls at an edge, tearing it straight across. The package makes a small ripping sound and it's open, bubble wrap instantly pouring out of it. How Tony had managed to fit that much bubble wrap inside was beyond Harley- there hadn't even been any sign that there was any bubble wrap inside- but he knew it was just like the billionaire. 

He reaches inside, and feels a piece of paper slide against his skin. He grabs it and pulls it out, flipping it to a side with words written. He smiles. 

‘We’ll always be connected, kid. Thought I'd return this for you, though. Hope you find it as useful as I did. It's limited edition, afterall.- Tony’ 

He laughs as he pulls the only other thing out from the package, finding it to be the Dora the Explorer watch he'd lent Tony all those years ago. He'd always wondered what Tony had done with it. Now he had it back, and there didn't seem to be a single scratch on it. Why Tony thought decided to have it delivered back to him after so long was a bit of mystery, but Harley would wear it. It was from Tony, after all. Even if it was a bit childish for him to wear now. 

He clips it onto his wrist and holds it up to his gaze, checking the time on it and then the time on his phone. He might as well have it working if he was going to wear it now. 

The watch read 5:10. His phone read 7:50. So it was just a little off. And by a little he meant a lot. He flips the watch to the small knobs that would change the time on it, attempting to twist them. He frowns when the time doesn't change, and he finds it to be jammed. He tried to turn it again, the other way this time, and huffs when it doesn't work. 

Okay. So it hadn't been returned without a scratch. But that was fine. He guessed. 

He's about to give up before he decides to try and press the knob instead. Maybe he had to press them like buttons to change the time instead of twisting them. He presses one of the knobs twice, and gasps as the watch surface opens suddenly, red metal exploding outwards and onto his wrist and hand. The metal expands, spreading from his hand up his arm. He grabs at the stuff with his other hand, only for it to begin spreading up that arm, too. 

Slightly panicked now, Harley stumbles to his feet as the stuff begins to crawl down his chest and up his neck. He quickly pulls his phone out to try and call- who? He's not sure, but he needed to call someone. Maybe that Parker kid he'd met at the funeral- 

The metal stuff spreads over his face, over his eyes and he drops the phone to the ground, losing his grip on it. He screws his eyes shut in slight fear of what was going to happen now, realizing it covered his entire body. 

A few seconds pass and light hits his shut eyelids, and a feminine voice fills his ears. 

“Hello, Harley Keener,” she sounded pleasant, if a tad annoyed and impatient. “Welcome to the Mark 3.” 

Harley slowly opens his eyes open, and his world is covered in blue, digital lines and words, objects being scanned and information about each object showing up directly in front of himself. He looks down hurriedly, letting out another gasp when he sees the Iron Man suit covering his body. 

“I am FRIDAY,” the woman's voice continued, somehow more miffed than before. He shakes himself, eyes darting upwards at the wall in front of himself as he tries to take this all in. “Mr. Stark had this nano-suit especially designed for you before his passing, and made clear instructions for it to be delivered you should he face his demise.” 

Harley blinks a few times. “...Wait. He left a suit to me? Made for me?” he repeated in surprise. 

“Yes, Mr. Keener,” FRIDAY replied, and Harley could hear her rolling her eyes. “I am the AI of the suit, and I have access to all of his satellites and all of the databases in the world. With me, you can also have entrance to any of the Avengers or remaining SHIELD compounds.” 

Harley’s mouth falls open at this information that he can hardly process. Tony… Tony left all of this, to him? 

“I can't believe it,” Harley muttered, more to himself than the AI. “This- this is all so much.” He pauses, pressing his lips together. “How do I uh… put it back in the watch?” 

“You press both of your thumb tips. There are small buttons there,” FRIDAY informs helpfully. “There is also an earpiece in the package you tore mercilessly into. You can use it to speak with me whenever you need.” 

Harley digs inside of the package again, and pulls out said earpiece. Then, he presses the buttons on both thumbs and the suit retreats, collecting back inside the Dora watch. He sticks the earpiece into place and then shakes himself again, still hardly able to believe what had just happened. 

He brings the watch back into his sights, staring at the sickeningly pink watch as it stares back at up at him innocently. 

“What did he want me to do with it?” Harley asks a few seconds later, his voice soft. 

FRIDAY replies, “He left a recorded note which simply says:” 

And suddenly Tony’s voice is speaking to him directly into his ear, “Do with it as you please, kid. Just don't break it.” 

So many possibilities rush into Harley’s mind at once then. He could use to help people. To save them from danger. He could use it to dive straight into danger and stop whatever was causing the danger. He could use the nano-tech to improve all kinds of other technology. He could make accessible space travel. He could- 

He could be the next Iron Man. 

That thought is foreboding, and he decides to stuff it away in the back of his mind. No way he could be the next Iron Man. He wasn't even sure anyone else wanted another Iron Man. Hell, he wasn't sure if even wanted to be Iron Man. It was a huge responsibility. 

Though, maybe he could use to help people in another way. 

There was that Peter kid who had seemed lost after the funeral was over. They hadn't spoken long, but Harley had gotten the feeling the kid had been devastated. He knew the kid was Spider-Man, and that that was his connection with Tony, but other than that, he'd known nothing. 

And poor Morgan…

He shakes himself for the third time. No, don't think about how sad she'd been. You'll just sidetrack yourself. 

Maybe he could speak to him. 

Yeah. That was the start of some kind of plan. If he was a hero, then he should know what to do with this kind of hero stuff. 

He considers flying to wherever the Peter kid is, but decides against it quickly. He has no idea how to control the suit as of yet. That would be a horrible idea if he tried to fly it. 

So, he heads for the exit, ready to hail a taxi to get a ride to this spider dude.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some of y'all wanted more harley and so did i so here we are. 
> 
> peter will get added to this fic. eventually. love my spider boy too much to not add him. 
> 
> but for now, it's harley, morgan will join in probably the next chap, and i may also add riri williams from the comics if i feel like it. 
> 
> anyway, lemme know what y'all think of this chapter and if you want more!

Finding the spider dude proved to be a tad more difficult than he'd originally intended. First, he checked the school FRIDAY informed he went to, during school hours, only to not find him anywhere. Next, he checks the apartment he lives in with his aunt. But again, he wasn't there. Only his aunt answers the door, browns knitting slightly with confusion as she takes in his face. She must not recognize him. 

“Uh, hi,” he began, twisting the pink, Dora watch around on his wrist. The aunt’s- May’s- eyes dart to the watch, more confusion appears on her features, and then return to his face. Harley could already feel himself flushing in slight embarrassment. Tony just had to pick the pinkest, most childish watch out there to put a super suit in. Now he would look ridiculous no matter where he goes wearing it. 

“Hey,” May responded, brushing some hair from her shoulder as she shifts weight from foot to foot. 

“Is Peter home?” he asked, hoping he looked young enough to fit the lie he was about to fabricate. He was only entering college, so he shouldn't appear too old to be friends with Parker. “I'm one of his friends, Harley. We met at a-” He pauses, having no idea where they would have met. The aunt would most likely be suspicious, since she'd never have seen him at any of his previous school gatherings, and Parker never would have spoken of him. So claiming to be his friend without a reasonable alibi wouldn't work. 

“Decathlon competition trip,” FRIDAY supplies helpfully from his ear. “He went on one a few years back before the Blip in Washington, d.c.” 

Man. This computer AI was seriously a huge help. 

“At the marathon in d.c,” Harley continued after the short pause, plastering a grin on his face. It was still a shaky story, but it would have to do. “We both… Blipped, so I was wanting to see him again. 

May’s lips purse, and she doesn't seem to be buying it. He fumbles for something else in his mind. 

“Why not just tell her what is really going on?” FRIDAY inquires before May could speak again. “She knows of his… ‘heroing’, on the side, and of his previous relations with Mr. Stark.” 

“You're not buying that, are you?” Harley asked, sheepishly. 

May shakes her head. “No, not at all,” she said. Her arms crossed over her chest as she leans into the doorframe. “So why don't you tell me who you really are.” 

Harley draw in a deep breath and debates on where to begin. He could start from when he'd met Tony, or maybe he could just tell her of his relation to him and the fact he has a suit and has no idea what to do with it and could use her son’s help. 

Yeah. That probably made more sense. 

“I was a friend of Mr. Stark's,” Harley begins to explain, biting at his bottom lip. Friend probably wasn't the best word for it, but he couldn't think of anything else to better describe their relationship. He and Tony never really did give a word to explain it, anyway. They hadn't ever bothered to. “And he left me something behind and I have no idea what to do with it and I know now that he and Peter were also close so I was wondering if he'd be able to help out.” 

May raises an eyebrow, a slight tinge of amusement sparkling in her eyes. Harley wasn't used to being made into a rambling mess, though she seemed used to it. Used to rambling messes of people, anyway. 

“What did he leave you, then?” May asks, eyes flicking towards the sickeningly pink watch on his wrist. He was pretty sure she already knew that the watch has something to do with the topic at hand. 

Harley twists the watch on his wrist again. “This watch… and the Iron Man suit inside of it,” he answered, once more grinning sheepishly. 

“Huh,” May said. “Of course he'd put the Earth’s most powerful suit inside a little, pink Dora watch.” 

“It's limited edition,” Harley pointed out weakly. 

“Well, sorry, but Peter is out on a school field trip right now,” May tells him, and she sounds apologetic. “He shouldn't be back for another month or so.” 

Harley deflates. “Where is he?” 

“Europe.” 

His shoulders sag. “Oh, great.” 

May offers him a small smile. “Is there anyone else you can think of that could help you with this… issue, of yours?” 

Harley shrugs, staring down at the watch on his wrist. “I honestly have no idea.” 

May hums in thought, before snapping her fingers. “Why not try and speak to Pepper?” she suggested. “She's probably the person who knew Stark best. She could probably figure out what you're trying to figure out. Whatever that is.” 

The suggestion lights Harley’s eyes with a new determination and he grins widely. “How did I not think of her sooner? She makes more sense than Peter!” he exclaimed. He nods to May. “Thanks so much for the help!” 

“How are you going to get there?” May asks next, and that makes Harley frown once more. 

“I mean, I took a taxi to get here,” he informed with a small shrug. 

May purses her lips and shakes her head. “No, that won't do,” she stated, and reaches to the side of the door on her side. She's holding car keys now, and has a determined expression on her face. “Come on, I'll take you. I wanna see how this goes.” 

“Y- You really don't have to, Mrs. Parker,” Harley said, but she shakes her head again. 

“I won't hear it. Let's get going,” she said, and leads the way down the hallway. 

And so that's how Harley met Peter Parker’s awesome aunt, but not Peter Parker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> he's   
a man  
on a misssiiioooon

**Author's Note:**

> he's   
a man  
on a misssiiioooooon


End file.
